


hold on to my heart

by storhan



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 13:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9493310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storhan/pseuds/storhan
Summary: It's early morning; the time of day where it's still dark inside their bedroom but the sun is slowly starting to peek over the horizon. They're both still asleep, Harry curled up to Niall's chest while Niall's arm curves loosely around Harry's waist. Everything’s quiet, at least until Niall hears a muffled cry coming from the baby monitor.Or, a day in the life of Niall and Harry as new parents.





	

It's early morning; the time of day where it's still dark inside their bedroom but the sun is slowly starting to peek over the horizon. They're both still asleep, Harry curled up to Niall's chest while Niall's arm curves loosely around Harry's waist. Everything’s quiet, at least until Niall hears a muffled cry coming from the baby monitor.

Niall prepares himself to get up, but it's Harry who stirs and says, “I'll get her.” He drops a sleepy kiss to Niall's shoulder before he ambles down the hallway into Elsie’s room. “Hi, baby. What's the matter?” Niall can hear Harry say through the monitor. “Does someone have a dirty diaper?”

Niall can't help but smile as he shakes head, listening to Harry coo at their daughter. He was meant for fatherhood, Niall thinks, but Niall on the other hand didn't know he wanted children until a couple of years ago when they babysat Freddie for the weekend.

It made Niall wonder what it would be like to have one of their own, and so far it's been magical. Despite every single sleepless night, Niall's been in a state of eternal bliss since they brought Elsie home from the hospital.

“Say hi daddy,” Harry says, and Niall turns his head toward the doorway and sees Harry waving one of Elsie’s hands at Niall. Niall can't contain his smile; he's so in love with both of them. Harry carries Elsie over to the bed and places her on the mattress between him and Niall, gazing lovingly down at her. “How did we get so lucky?” Harry asks quietly, finally looking at Niall. Niall doesn't give a response, because he doesn't have one; he wonders the same thing everyday. Niall reaches out to stroke Harry's cheek, and Harry leans in for a kiss. It doesn't last long because Niall can feel tiny fingers brush against his chin. “Don't worry, love, I didn't forget about you,” Harry says to Elsie, leaning down to kiss her too. And so does Niall.

Elsie makes a soft sound of approval, gazing up at Harry with her big doe eyes as her fingers wrap around Harry's necklace.

“You know she's gonna sleep in our bed ‘til she's ten if you keep bringing her in here,” Niall says even though he doesn't think Harry would mind that at all.

“No she won't,” Harry replies, eyes still on Elsie as he runs a hand down her tummy, adjusting her pink onesie that's covered in giraffes. “Don't listen to him, Elsie,” Harry whispers. “He's just grumpy.” Harry picks Elsie up, ignoring the glare Niall sends his way, and tosses her in the air, just once, to hear her giggles fill the room. “Are you hungry?” he asks her, but she just sticks her fist into her mouth which Harry takes to mean yes.

Harry treks into the kitchen to warm her up a bottle, and Niall thinks about falling back to sleep, but he's already awake and he's sure his stomach is about to start growling any minute. He pulls on a pair of joggers and a t-shirt and follows the smell of food into the kitchen.

Niall stops in his tracks when he hears Harry humming. He peers into the kitchen to see Harry swaying back and forth with the baby on his hip as he flips pancakes one-handed. It's one of those moments that Niall knows is going to stick in his mind when Elsie's all grown up and they're gray and old.

Elsie’s getting fussy, just like she does anytime she gets hungry, and Harry's doing his best to keep her calm. “I know, love, just a little bit longer.” Niall finally steps into the kitchen, and catches Harry's attention when a floorboard creaks under his foot. “Oh, Ni, can you take her? The bottle should be warm by now but I don't have any more hands.”

Niall plucks Elsie out of Harry's arms and takes her bottle out of the bottle warmer. She makes grabby hands for it and squirms in Niall's arms, kicking her feet excitedly against Niall's thigh. “Impatient, you are.” Niall chuckles as he gives her the bottle. “Just remember, you don't get that from me,” he stage-whispers.

“Niall, are you telling lies to our daughter again?” Harry says, looking over his shoulder and raising an eyebrow at Niall's mischievous grin. “You don't believe him, do you, Elsie?” he asks, but she just stares at him so he plants a kiss to the top of her head.

Harry sets two plates of pancakes on the counter and they eat.

After breakfast they move into the living room, Niall setting Elsie down on a blanket on the floor, surrounded by toys. Harry crouches down on all fours so he's eye-level with their daughter and Niall watches fondly as Harry makes silly noises and funny faces toward Elsie. She reaches out a small hand and covers Harry's mouth, obviously trying to silence him.

Niall laughs at the same time Harry frowns. “That's my girl,” Niall says proudly.

“Betrayed by my own daughter,” Harry says solemnly.

“You're treating her too much like a baby, Haz,” Niall says and Harry's frown deepens.

“That's because she  _ is _ a baby,” Harry points out. He sits up and watches Elsie turn her attention to the toy closest to her - a set of rings that she shakes enthusiastically. Harry stands and sits next to Niall on the couch. “I wish she could stay this little forever,” he says wistfully, leaning his head against Niall's shoulder.

“Me too,” Niall says quietly, patting Harry's thigh.

An hour later Harry takes Elsie back into her room and puts her down for her nap. Niall's resting on the couch when Harry reemerges and collapses on top of him. Niall lets out an “oof” as Harry breathes out against his neck.

“I'm exhausted,” Harry mumbles.

“Then go to sleep,” Niall murmurs, because he knows how precious sleep is when you have a five-month-old. Harry doesn't respond so Niall assumes he's already passed out.

Niall must've fallen asleep too because he's awoken by crying. He's not sure how long they've been like this, but Harry wastes no time in climbing off of Niall and rushing into Elsie's room. Niall instantly hears her quiet down. He doesn't know how Harry does it, but he must have some sort of magical power that immediately quiets a crying baby.

Niall closes his eyes again momentarily, imagining Harry gently rocking Elsie and looking down at her like he's holding the entire world in his arms. He hears Harry's footfalls come down the hallway again a minute later. “She go back to sleep?”

“Not exactly,” Harry says. Niall finally opens his eyes when he feels a weight being placed on his chest, and he's met with Elsie's bright blue eyes staring back at him. “She wanted to say hi.”

“Hi, love,” Niall says softly, pulling her further up his chest so he can kiss her nose. She giggles. Niall loves the sound so he does it again.

“Elsie, can you give daddy a kiss?” Harry encourages, and at first she doesn't move, or give any indication that she understood, but then her open mouth lands a bit off-mark on the corner of Niall's. Harry cheers beside them and rubs her back while he gives her gentle praise.

“Did you teach her how to do that?” Niall asks.

“I may have done some coaching before we walked out here,” Harry admits, smirking as he lifts Elsie off of Niall's chest, who whines in protest. “Sorry, love, but it's my turn,” he says and promptly kisses Niall on the lips.

“You gotta step up your game, Styles, our baby's a better kisser than you,” Niall jokes, and he expects Harry to narrow his eyes or even glare at him, but he just smiles.

“Did you hear that, Elsie? You're my competition now,” Harry says and Elsie just gurgles in response before she turns her body away from Harry and tries to reach for Niall. Harry shakes his head. “One kiss and she's hooked.” Harry hands Elsie back over to Niall, kissing him quickly. “I know the feeling.”

Niall grins, pulling Harry in for another kiss, this one lasting a few seconds longer than the first. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Harry echoes. “And you too, my love,” he adds, kissing the top of Elsie's fuzzy head. Then he walks off toward the kitchen, muttering something about dinner.

Niall looks down at Elsie who's now chewing on her fingers. “What about you, love? Are you hungry too?” Niall asks, and although she can't respond verbally yet, she lets out a sound that sounds similar to a grunt. Niall takes it as a yes.

He takes her into the kitchen, where Harry's chopping vegetables while he's got something sizzling on the stove, and tries to sit her in her high chair, but when he does she starts crying. He shushes her and murmurs reassurances to her as he bounces her on his hip while he fills a bowl with applesauce. It's not the first time she's refused to sit in her chair, it just means that she'd rather sit in his or Harry's lap and they're always happy to oblige. Niall knows it's going to get worse the older she gets, that she'll just have to bat her eyelashes at them and they'll cave. She can't even walk or talk yet, but she's already got the both of them wrapped around her little finger.

Niall sits on one of the bar stools by the counter with Elsie in his lap, her tiny hand reaching out for Niall's as he scoops up some of the applesauce into the spoon. He guides the spoon to her mouth and she swallows it eagerly, squirming happily in his lap.

“She definitely gets her appetite from you,” Harry says, pausing his tomato chopping so he can look at Niall from under his eyelashes.

Niall scoffs, giving Elsie another spoonful of applesauce. “She does not. You're the one who sneaks in here in the middle of the night for a midnight snack.”

“Well, at least I know how to season a chicken,” Harry counters.

Niall groans because Harry is never going to let him live that down. “Oh my god, Haz, that was  _ one _ time.” And it was  _ only _ one time because Harry all but banned him from the kitchen since then. In the end, he didn't mind it all that much because Harry's the better cook anyway.

Harry just snickers and turns back to the stove so he can add the tomatoes to the hot pan. Niall finishes feeding Elsie just as Harry brandishes a bowl of pasta in front of him. He takes his first bite and nearly moans. Yeah, Harry's definitely the better cook.

After dinner, Harry does the dishes while Niall gives Elsie a bath. She splashes excitedly while Niall tries to wash her, and although it takes him a bit longer to rinse her off, he thinks she'd enjoy going to the local pool in the summer where she can splash all she wants. Harry joins them just as Niall's about to take her out of the tub. He gives her a bubble beard and gets her to sit still long enough so he can take a picture and send it to everyone in his contact list.

Niall wraps her in a towel and walks back into her room, her face nuzzled against his neck. They dry her off, put on a clean diaper and dress her in a blue onesie decorated with ducks. Niall can tell she's already sleepy but Harry picks her up anyway, swaying gently as he keeps her cradled to his chest. Niall just watches fondly as the two people he loves most in the world dance slowly around the room.

She's asleep within seconds, and Harry very, very gently transfers her to her crib. They stand over her, gazing down affectionately at their daughter, sound asleep in her duck onesie with her hands resting next to her head. Niall's heart is so full of love it feels like it could burst.

He snakes an arm around Harry's waist and pulls him close. Harry leans his head against Niall's. “Our little angel,” Niall whispers.

Harry hums beside him before he turns to look at him. “What do you say? Want another one?”

Niall just laughs softly because one is enough for now, but what he's really thinking is _yes_. Someday.


End file.
